


you sent this hurricane now it won't go away

by palateens



Series: Grand Larsony [5]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: All-Star Weekend, F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, there's polyfarms if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-04
Updated: 2017-04-04
Packaged: 2018-10-14 13:23:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10537362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/palateens/pseuds/palateens
Summary: “Ok did anyone else hear that theme song?” Kent stares at the ceiling.“You get used to it,” Jack chuckles.OrThe one where there's a lot of drama at the 2020 All-Star Weekend





	

**Author's Note:**

> For Ransom Week 
> 
> Prompts: Revelations and Mainstream

Ransom’s in line for security at Baltimore/Washington International Airport when he asks Lardo, “are you sure?”

“For the sixth time, babe, yes,” she groans.

“And it won’t be weird?”

“It’ll probably be a little, Rans." Larissa furiously texts someone, presumably Kent. "In what world wouldn’t it be weird?”

Probably in the world where they were going to see old friends instead of running into exes. He decides that it’s better not to point that out.

Still, he wants to make sure that this weekend goes as well as possible. “But it’s ok?”

“I’m not making you miss out on All-Star Weekend just because _Bartholomew_ is gonna be there,” she poorly conceals her anger. 

Justin winces, “ok this feels like a bad idea.”

They’d talk about this a lot in the last week or so. Adam had been invited to rep the Capitals and the Metropolitan Division in All-Star Weekend. It was being hosted in Toronto; so there was the added incentive of seeing their families. But it felt like a lot, dealing with relatives and exes when their relationship was relatively new. Larissa kept telling him it was going to be fine. He wasn’t sure she was saying that for his benefit, Adam’s, hers.

“Justin,” she gets on her tip toes to peck his cheek. “I promise I will be on my best behavior. Ok?”

He sags, “I trust you.”

“Thank you,” she stretches up to kiss him again. He meets her halfway. “I won’t let you down.”

_/.\\_

The upside of having a professional athlete boyfriend, he pays for your first-class seats. The upside of being a poor student: convincing your girlfriend that it’s ok to accept the tickets because you can’t afford them either.

Lardo groans as she reclines into her window seat. “Fuck, I’m never flying coach ever again.”

“What happened to ‘first-class is a rip off’?” Ransom chirps.

“I was young and naïve,” she hisses.

“That was this morning,” he reminds her. 

She shushes him with a finger to her lips. “I’m gonna drink like a classy bitch while we watch whatever you want.”

“Is that a bribe?” Justin smirks.

“You know it, babe." Larissa reclines her seat as far as it can go. 

He eyes her suspiciously, “ _Degrassi Junior High_.”

She cracks an eye open. “Is that the one with Drake?”

“No that’s The Next Generation." He about to launch into a long discussion about the history of the franchise and varying casts when he realizes, “you did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

“Nope, I’m just a simple American, ignorant to your mysterious Canadian ways.”

“It’s not that—”

Larissa quirks a brow, she’s chirping him so hard.

“You know, that hurts,” he grumbles, crossing his arms. 

She leans over the console dividing them. Lardo kisses the corner of his eye, “I love your Canadian ways. Even if you’re gonna have to re-watch everything with me.”

“Yea, that’s ok,” he smiles back at her. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she kisses him on the lips this time. Hers are warm and strong, like a summer breeze. 

A few minutes later, the flight attendant is announcing safety procedures. They start watching _Degrassi_ once they reach a cruising altitude. They get two episodes in when Larissa takes off her headphones, looking at Justin expectantly. 

“Your parents are cool with us, right?” she’s asked before. It’s funny how much they all can pretend they’re not nervous until it’s too late to back out.

“They are,” Justin reiterates. “I think they didn’t understand, at first? But they’re good with us.”

“And they don’t think I stole you away from Holtz?”

Ransom chuckles, licking his lips. “They don’t anymore.”

Lardo raises her eyebrows, “ok, sir, enlighten me.”

“My dad wanted to know when we broke up.” He bobs his head as he recalls the moment. “So I told him ‘we’re still dating.’ Then my mom goes ‘so you’re cheating on him?’”

“Oh fuck,” Lardo exclaims. She covers eyes in the crook of arm. “I’m the other woman.”

Justin ignores her dramatics to focus on the story. “I tried explaining polyamory to them, and mom goes, ‘so you’re dating Larissa…and Adam’s ok with that?’”

“What’d you tell her?”

“‘Well I hope so, because he’s dating her too,’” he smirks.

“Wow,” she nods in approval. “Just, wow.”

Justin considers not bringing up the other thing. But he decides against it. “Heads up, my sister’s kid two. Mom’s glutton for grand kids.”

Lardo stares at him incredulously, “she thinks we’ve been dating for three months and she’s gonna drop hints about kids?”

“Um…”

“You told them about college.” Lardo’s jaw drops, “you didn’t.”

“Maybe?” He winces with a placating smile. “They thought it was a phase so what else could I do?”

“Hey,” she says softly, patting his arm. “I’m kidding. Remember my parents?”

Ransom thinks back to the Duans visiting them for Christmas. Larissa’s brother Tommy was busy with his own in-laws so he stayed in Boston. Her parents were much less critical of their relationship than Ransom (and Holster) had expected. They did, however, ask a lot of invasive questions about their personal lives and how they were planning on staying together.

He shivers, “I still can’t believe your dad asked how we have sex.”

“I can’t believe Holster used the words ‘double penetration’ and ‘strap-on’ in front of my parents,” she mutters bitterly. 

Justin chuckles. “You sorta do,”

Larissa nods reluctantly, playing with her headphones. “So your parents are cool. Holster’s mom and sisters love me.”

“My parents love you,” Ransom protests.

“Babe, they barely know me. It’s ok. I can charm their pants off.”

He nuzzles her head, inhaling the scent of her coconut hair oil and Holster's shampoo. “I know you will."

_/.\\_

They’re checking into the hotel when Ransom hears a voice shout “Lardo” behind him.

Lardo turns slightly, dropping her bag next to the concierge desk and running toward Kent Parson. They run into each other arms. They hug like they’ve back at school after a long summer. Larissa had told them Kent’s her best friend. Justin didn’t know what to make of that information at the time. But seeing them bump fists was bittersweet. It’d been six years since they first met Kent, officially. So many things had changed in that time. For instance, he’d never before gotten a feeling of dread from seeing Eric Bittle. But there he was, rolling his luggage past Kent and Lardo as if they were part of the décor. Bitty straightens up when he notices Ransom watching him. 

“Justin,” he nods curtly.

“Bits,” Ransom addresses him neutrally. Less than twenty minutes into the weekend, and things were already weird. No wonder Lardo promised to be on _her_ best behavior.

“I knew Adam was comin’ up, I wasn’t sure about you." Translation, "I thought I wasn't going have to deal with you." 

“Yea, well,” Ransom ignores Eric's obvious annoyance. “I made sure to plan well this year.”

“That’s good,” Bitty mutters. 

Justin knows he shouldn't bring this up; but dammit, it's his weekend too. “Scale of one to ten, how weird are you gonna be this weekend?”

Bitty gawks at him. “What?”

Ransom shrugs, “Bits, I haven’t done anything.”

Eric glares for a second before sighing, “you’re right. I know you’re right. I’m sorry.”

“‘Ts ok, we can talk if you want.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he concedes with less bite. 

“Babe,” Kent yells. 

Eric and Justin turn to see Lardo holding Kent in a headlock.

“A little help?” Kent pleads. 

Bitty smirks fondly, “you got yourself in that position, Mr. Parson. I believe you can figure a way out.”

Kent struggles for a bit. “Ok, fine, I cave."

“Say the magic word,” Larissa commands. 

“Please?”

Larissa unceremoniously drops him. She heads back to Ransom’s side without a second glance.

“Larissa,” Eric gives her his best media smile.

Part of Justin is impressed that he’s gotten so good at being pleasant.

“Buttle,” she offers her most unimpressed glance. 

He scowls, “I suppose I deserve that.”

“I’m sure I have no idea what you’re referring to,” she says haughtily. 

Justin does everything in his power to force back his chuckle.

“Right,” Bitty fumes, “of course.”

“Well this is awkward,” someone chirps from behind. 

Ransom winces when he realizes it’s Shitty. This is going to be a long weekend, he realizes.

“Hey, Lards,” Shitty smiles shyly. 

“Bartholomew,” Larissa sniffs. 

Shitty winces, “ok, maybe I deserve that.”

Lardo grabs the room keys off the counter. “I know,” she says with a tight smile that could rival Bitty’s worst mood.

“So what are you doing here?” Shitty drums up small talk. And really, Ransom wishes Shitty would keep his mouth shut.

She shakes her head, turning to Justin. “Ready?”

“Huh?” It takes a second for his mind to catch up, “yea.”

Larissa slings her bag over her shoulder, taking their rolling luggage along with her. Justin trails behind a few paces until they reach the elevator. She presses the button.

“Do me a favor,” she murmurs.

“Anything,” Ransom leans in closer to hear her. 

“Kiss me? Like right now."

Ransom chuckles softly, “there it is.” That's the smart and vindictive woman he loves. 

She smiles back at him with a quizzical gleam in her eye. “What?”

He pulls her into him, dipping her slightly as he kisses her. She laughs, kissing him again. The elevator door opens, and Larissa walks straight in. He dares to look over his shoulder back at their friends. Bitty and Kent look impressed while Shitty’s straight up shocked.

The elevator doors shut behind him, and Lardo bursts into laughter. “Was that too much?”

“Nah,” Ransom shrugs. “He was the right amount of salty.”

“Awesome,” she laughs. She wipes a tear out of the corner of her eye, “thanks, you didn’t have to do that.”

“I know,” he admits. “But I wanted to.”

They get to their room without incident. They change out of their flight clothes into their jerseys and gear to watch the celebrity game. 

“Remind me again why I bought a Birkholtz jersey?” Lardo chirps from the bathroom.

Ransom shrugs, “he must be good in bed or something.”

“I heard that,” Holster’s voice booms as the front door creeks.

Justin snorts, “you were supposed to.”

He saunters to the entrance, wrapping his arms around the back of Adam’s neck.

“You look really good in that,” Holster mutters.

“You’re not just saying that because it’s yours,” Ransom volleys.

“Nah, I’d say you look amazing even if you were wearing…Jack’s jersey.”

“Would you fuck him in Kent’s though?” Lardo yells from the bathroom.

“I didn’t say anything about fucking him in it,” Adam disputes.

“The fucking was implied.” Larissa walks out of the bathroom in the midst of fixing her hair into a curly faux-hawk. She’s wearing nothing but her jersey. “So I think I’m gonna go exactly like this.”

“It’s a good look.” Holster signals her to turn for him. “You’re missing something though.”

“You think?” She chirps. 

“Yea, no, I’m not trying to impede on your sense of style,” he says seriously. “But most places says no shirt, no shoes, no service.”

Larissa huffs dramatically. “Next thing you’re gonna tell me to do is wear pants."

“Only if you don’t want your butt to freeze."

Larissa rolls her eyes. “Did you run into Chowder and Nursey yet?”

Holster shakes his head. “Nope, I got a text telling me their room number, though. It’s across the hall.”

Lardo puts down her curling iron, storming up to Holster. She stares him squarely in the eye, and pulls him down for fierce kiss. “I love you. Now if you’ll excuse me.”

She throws the door open. Ransom holds the door with his foot while she bangs the door.

“Is it actually their room?” Ransom murmurs.

“This time it is,” Holster smirks. 

“Way to keep it classy,” Justin offers him a fist bump.

The room across the hall opens to Caitlin Farmer wearing a Sharks hoodie. She is very clearly pregnant. Justin doesn’t remember the last time he heard Lardo squeal.

“You weren’t kidding." Larissa cups her hands over her mouth.

“Nope,” Farmer snorts bemused.

“I’m gonna hug you now, ok?”

Caitlin smiles warmly. “I’d be insulted if you didn’t.”

Lardo makes work of not crushing Farmer's stomach. They find a semi workable position to hug in, whispering excitedly to each other. Dex emerges from somewhere in the room. Ransom can't believe they've only been out of college for a year and a half. They look...like adults. Unlike those awkward Frogs they met back at Samwell. 

“William,” Holster lectures sternly, “how many times have we told you to always wear a condom?”

Ransom matches his grave tone. “Dishonor on you, dishonor on your shark—"

Dex glares, clearly unamused. “You guys said that on the phone last week."

“It’s still funny,” Ransom shrugs.

“Hey, how many beds are in there?” Adam asks suddenly. 

“Two queens,” Farmer replies. 

“Yea, Nursey and Chowder are gonna have to help me push the beds together later. There wasn’t a room available with a bed big enough for the four of us.” He looks down at Farmer’s baby bump, amending, “the six of us.”

“Twins run in your family?” Ransom asks Caitlin.

“My mom is and my grandpa was," she rubs her stomach gently. "They’re fraternal too so we’re hopping…”

Hoping for multiple fathers, Ransom thinks.

“We can help with the beds, Dex,” Justin offers.

Dex nods, gesturing for them to come in. Ransom can't believe this is how they hang out now. In between the biweekly skype calls, hockey's kept them together. It feels like yesterday he, Holster, and Lardo were Frogs. Now their Frogs were out of college and...having tadpoles.   

“We have to head out in five.” Dex quirks at brow at Lardo, “were you wearing pants earlier?”

“No,” Lardo declares smugly.

_/.\\_

Ransom, Lardo, Farmer, and Dex find seats at the arena. Dex sets a donut pillow down, and helps Caitlin sit.

“Geez,” Lardo frowns. “Do you go to a lot of these?”

“Uh huh,” Farmer grins, “or at least we try.”

“Try, force me to drive you to every home game, same thing,” Dex snarks.

“Hey,” she warns him, “it’s fun.”

“And the social media stuff is what? A perk?” Dex kisses her.

Lardo snorts.

“Would you rather take belly pictures every week?”

Will shuts his mouth at that point. A few minutes later Bitty and Shitty arrive.

“William Jacob Poindexter,” Bitty chastises. “What on God’s green earth have you done to poor Farmer?”

“I’m not the only guy with sperm in his relationship ok?” He says a bit too loudly. He turns beat red when some of the other SOAPs cast judgmental glances in their direction. 

“Good to know,” Shitty hums. He makes a point of sitting at the end of the row next to Dex; leaving Bitty to sit on the other side of Ransom.

“So where are your baby daddies?” Shitty inquires, “minus Dex.”

“Press stuff,” Caitlin grumbles.

They sit in silence for a bit. It's pleasant and worry free. And then–

“When were you gonna tell me you got back with Ransom?” Shitty erupts. 

“Well that took all of eight seconds,” Lardo deadpans.

“Bro,” Ransom cautions with his tone. “It doesn’t matter.”

“I think it does,” Shitty protests.

“Wait, back?” Bitty looks between Ransom and Lardo. “When were you together in the first place?”

Ransom turns to Lardo. She bites her lip, shrugging.

“No,” Bitty panics, “that’s not fair, y’all.”

Ransom sighs, licking his lips. “Jack never told you?”

“Told me what?” Eric's voice pitches. 

Lardo stares at him long and hard. Justin feels her cogs turning. She’s scouring for a way out.

“Well,” Larissa starts slowly, “did you ever wonder why it took Ransom and Holster so long to get together? Or me and Batman over there?”

“No.” Bitty's expression falter. “I mean I guess. But I just thought—people take their time.”

“We did,” Justin concedes. “Or…we didn’t have to choose. And then we did.”

“Choose?”

“Bits, the five of us were together in college,” Shitty simplifies. 

“Oh,” he mutters. He clenches the fabric of his pants, staring ahead. “What changed?”

“You,” Lardo answers without malice. “Kent too.”

“Epikegster 2014 did a number on them,” Justin concludes. 

“And what?” Bitty's temper boils over, “you dumped him?”

“Eric, it’s Jack.” Lardo levels him a condescending look. “Jack doesn’t let people tell him what to do. Not since the draft, and definitely not during college.”

“Did he tell you the same thing he told me?” Ransom asks her quietly. 

“I asked him if there was anything I could do to change his mind," she huffs. “He said no.”

Justin nods.“He told me ‘I don’t know if what I’m doing is wrong. I don’t want us to resent each other when this blows up.’”

“He told me ‘I love you’ for the first time." Shitty pauses, “and he still ripped my fucking heart out.”

“We know, Shits,” Lardo growls.

“Just saying," he shrugs.

“No, you’re not,” Larissa snaps. “You just wanna remind us that he’s with you.”

“Fuck you,” he hisses.

“Not anymore." 

“Well this has been fun,” Farmer sighs. “Larissa, help me to the restroom.”

She nods, following directions without putting up a fight.

When they’re out of ear shot, Ransom turns to Shitty. Ransom’s jaw tightens as he stares him down. “Are you proud of yourself?” 

“Of course not,” Shitty seethes. “It’s hard ok? She leaves me and two seconds later I’m hearing from Kent that she’s in fucking Baltimore. What am I supposed to think?”

“That maybe you could salvage your friendship by not being a complete dick?” Justin chastises him. Because really, how hard was that? 

Shitty shakes his head. He leans back against the bleachers. “She never loved me like she loved you two.”

“You never loved her like you loved Jack,” Justin counters.

“Were you honestly never gonna tell me?” 

Shitty and Ransom look back at Bitty. His eyes are red rimmed. His scowl is deep and ugly as he tries to watch the game.

“It was Jack's job to tell you,” Shitty disputes. 

“And in the four years since we started dating y’all couldn’t’ve brought it up one fucking time?”

Ransom considers this for a moment. Why hadn’t they? Why wasn’t it worth the mention. “Because if Jack didn’t tell you himself, he didn’t want you knowing. It wasn’t our place to fuck with your relationship.”

Bitty crosses his arms. “I hate all of you right now."

“That’s fair,” Shitty relents. He looks over Dex’s shoulder as he types away on his smart phone. “Who you texting?”

“None of your business,” Dex waves him off.

“Don’t be like that, brah." Shitty pouts, “we’re your friends.”

“You know what?" Will looks up from his phone, staring Shitty down. "Ransom is my friend. Holster and Lardo are also my friends. They bother to see how we’re doing. And when dumb shit happens they give us a call and say ‘hey do you want to hear about this drama or do you want to be left out of it?’”

“I’m getting a drink,” Bitty announces. 

“I guess I am too,” Ransom rises to follow. 

“Bring me back something?” Shitty reaches for his back pocket.

“No, I’ll buy this round,” Bitty insists.

“Cool, bring me back the strongest liquor you can get your hands on,” Shitty he calls after them.

Bitty smiles mirthlessly, “with pleasure."

_/.\\_

So far, the weekend was going approximately as well as Justin had planned. It wasn’t ruined yet per say. And his parents weren’t coming until the next day. Which means if all Friday amounted to a soap opera, at least Saturday ensured some relatively normal visitors. He follows Eric to the nearest beer kiosk. The tuft of hair that always stuck out remains right where Ransom last saw it. It’s bizarre seeing Bitty in a Bruins jersey. It’s not a stretch to consider a world where Jack and Bitty are only now back on speaking terms. They’d experienced such a tumultuous beginning. 

“Still mad?” Ransom dares to ask while they wait in line.

Eric sighs, glaring tiredly at Justin. “What do you think?”

“Look,” he scratches the back of his neck. “I get it. We were your friends. You had a right to know that you were the last person in the Haus that Jack dated.”

Bitty scrubs his face. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”

“I don’t know why he broke up with you—”

“I dumped him,” Bitty cuts him off.

“Oh,” that makes more sense. Jack only had eyes for Bitty for the longest time. 

“He didn’t want to date Kent anymore." Bitty refuses to look up from his phone as he explains. “And honestly, I understand? Kent is the light of my life but that boy comes off so strong.”

“And then what?” Ransom gets the sense that Bitty had never been allowed to share his side of the story.

“Jack assumed I wouldn’t want to date Kent anymore either." Eric wrinkles his nose in distaste, “and when I said I couldn’t just break up with him—Jack got real mean, real quick.”

Ransom nods, quirking a lip.

Eric's eyes flicker to Justin's face. “What’s so funny about that?”

“He always chooses you," Justin answers. 

Bitty blushes. “I guess,” he mutters.

Justin feels himself smirk triumphantly. Eric could be so stubborn and unwilling to see that people could care for him. It's something he had in common with Jack. Ransom had hoped the would bring out the best in each other. For the most part, they did. Then of course, their communication broke. Now here's Eric Bittle, 25, and has already had long term relationships with multiple NHL stars...

Maybe Justin stuck around with these people for so long because they made him look like the down-to-earth one. 

“You think if he’d told you about us back in college, you would’ve stayed?” He thinks out loud. 

Bitty ignores him as he orders a round of drinks. When he’s done with the cashier, he hands a drink to Ransom.

“I would’ve made him talk more, that’s for sure,” Eric finally responds.

Ransom takes a sip of beer. “Yeah Jack’s…”

“As stubborn as a mule?” 

Justin chuckles, “definitely.”

Bitty smirks fondly, like he forgot that chirping could be amicable instead of cruel. “Is it wrong that I wanna compare notes?”

Ransom smiles at Bitty for the first time in years. “I’d be insulted if you didn’t.”

_/.\\_

“I’m assuming you really have to go,” Lardo groans as she stretches.

“I don’t recommend getting knocked up by former and professional hockey players." Farmer makes her way into a bathroom stall, “their kids are huge.”

Larissa nods; although she knows Caitlin can't see her. She takes a deep breath. “I gotta ask. Was it planned?”

Caitlin snorts, “yea having twins two years out of college has always been a dream of mine.”

“I figured,” Lardo laughs it off, “but you’re a baby person.”

“Which is why I’m having them,” she snorts. “I didn’t plan this. Or maybe drunk me did?”

“Spill,” Lardo demands. 

“We got wasted on Chris’ birthday."

Lardo snorts, “that makes more sense.”

“Yea but social media loves hearing about how we’re college sweethearts and blah blah blah,” tells her through the crack in the stall.

A part of Lardo was relieved she hadn’t been introduced to that yet. She wasn’t officially anything to the fans. She hadn’t even gone to a game yet because of how obnoxious the commute to DC was. Still, it made her heart ache in a way she didn’t know was possible. But they also weren’t in California, where polyamory had been introduced in the last few years as a fad. The rest of the country would eventually catch on.

 “Is it scary?” Lardo finds herself muttering.

“What?” Farmer asks as she opens the stall door. 

Lardo gestures in big circles around her. “Everything."

Caitlin tilts her head from side to side, contemplating how to answer. “Sometimes,” she confesses. “People are awful and nosey. But I have my boys. And we’ve got each other’s backs.”

Larissa nods, breathing shakily. She feels Caitlin’s hand squeeze hers reassuringly. Her eyes snap open when Farmer puts their hands on her baby bump.

“It’s terrifying,” Farmer says in a voice so quiet Lardo hardly catches it. “It’s really fucking terrifying. Especially when you never thought you could something or someone as much. And then boom, whole world upside down.”

“How’d you know…” _it was happening to you, that you were ready, that you wanted them._

As if reading her mind, Caitlin laughs. “I spent all of Thanksgiving puking.”

They’re both quiet for a moment. Farmer adds, “and I locked myself in the bathroom. I wouldn’t let anyone in. Chris was worried, but he understood that I wanted to be alone. Will had to distract Derek from tearing the door down. He’d never seen me that sick before…I remember thinking ‘fuck, what am I supposed to do?’”

“What’d you do?”

“I took things one day at a time for about a week. I wasn’t sure what I wanted. Then one morning, they made me breakfast in bed. They didn’t know. They just wanted to do something for me. I looked at them, and I thought ‘we can do this.’”

Larissa nods, looking at Caitlin’s bump again; wondering if that’s the way things are supposed to work or if people eventually want the kids they’re reluctant to have.

“It’s not for everyone,” Farmer informs her empathetically. 

“I know,” Lardo nods several times. “I never wanted them with Shitty.”

“And now?”

“I don’t know,” her voice cracks.

Caitlin draws her in for a hug. Lardo feels her grip tighten as she sobs into Farmer’s chest. She feels like an idiot for crying. She feels like a child who doesn’t know what they want anymore. She’d been force fed so many ideas of what it meant to be loved. She’d rejected them so hard. And she was happy with most of the choices she’d made. She stuck out like a lovely butterfly in any crowd. She was unforgettable; she made sure of it. She filled every crevice of her life with as much beauty as possible. She had a growing collection of tattoos to show for it. But even when she said she would never subject herself to a regular life, she’d settled for _him_. She had relegated herself to being an awesome old hippie with someone she loved, but not enough.

And then she did the bravest (stupidest) thing she could think of—she let herself be enough to be happy.  Now she felt like she was where she was meant to be. Part of her is waiting for the other shoe to drop, for her to fuck up somehow. But the other part is so happy and excited to be where she is, to see what’s next. She feels so much that it scares the shit out of her. She doesn’t want to feel like less because they’re making her think about possibilities she’d never considered before.

She doesn’t want to be ashamed of loving them. No one held her when she left Shitty. No one held her when Jack left. She gets these ugly tears at the most random times. Feeling really sucks; but Adam lets her be loud and unabashedly obnoxious while Justin lets her be small and vulnerable. They take her as she is, and that’s the scariest thing of all—the idea that she doesn’t have to pretend anymore. She’s survived through masks for so long that she forgot what her real smile felt like.

Lardo is snapped out of her musings when she realizes Farmer’s crying too.

“Did I make you cry?” Larrisa questions.

“Little bit,” Caitlin gives her a blubbery smile. “fucking hormones.”

“Shouldn’t you be worried about your kids hearing you or something?”

“Their first words are gonna be fuck off,” Caitlin laughs through her tears. “Just you wait.”

_/.\\_

**Partners in Crime**

Holster: Are we having fun yet or what

Lardo: or what

Holster: fuck really?

Ransom: it could be worse?

Lardo: it could be a lot worse

Holster: …

Lardo: fun will start as soon as this game does

Ransom: definitely

Holster: …ok

Lardo: go on, get Lady Gaga’s autograph. be happy

Holster: fine, just call me if you need anything. please?

Ransom: we promise

Lardo: pinky swear

_/.\\_

Holster sighs. This weekend was supposed to be fun. There was no way in hell this didn’t end with some big catastrophe. But hopefully, something good may come. He doesn’t expect to see Kent whispering in Jack’s ear. He doesn’t expect to see Jack laugh, genuinely laugh. Then Kent catches Holster watching from across the room. He jabs Jack in the ribs, pointing Adam out to him. Jack’s lips twitch when their eyes meet. Not much, but barely enough that Adam catches the motion. It’s equal parts sad and relieved. They’ve been expecting him, it would seem. Holster nods curtly. He makes his rounds. Eventually, he'll get to them. Jack’s had years to talk. If he’s so eager, he can wait five minutes.

So maybe Holster sounds like a fucking nerd as rambles to Jon Hamm about how much he loved him in _The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margret_. And maybe he nearly faints as he thanks Spike Lee for his contributions to the film industry. His conversation with Lady Gaga goes on for longer than he expected. But A) it’s bisexual pop icon Lady Gaga B) she wanted his autograph as much as he wanted hers C) he ended up showing her selfies of him, Rans, and Lards and now she wants to meet them. If that is not a perfect day that cannot be ruined by dumb shit, he doesn’t know what is.

Which is where he finally arrives at the other side of the room where Jack’s been talking to fucking Halsey, and most likely has no idea what she does. Kent drags him closer and makes introductions. Holster does get Halsey’s autograph. He’s quite pleased as she makes her excuses to talk with some other players. When she’s out of ear shot, Kent gives him the biggest shit eating grin. Jack notices and rolls his eyes fondly. That’s also unexpected. But Adam’s about two seconds from throwing all expectations out the door.

“Don’t,” Jack murmurs.

“Adam, buddy,” Kent pulls out his phone. He begins to recite from his screen, “there comes a time in every person’s life where it’s someone's duty, nay, their pleasure to ins—”

“Ok two things," Holster holds up two fingers. "One you’ve been dating Bitty way too long if you wrote out a speech, no offense.”

“None taken,” Kent shrugs amicably. 

“Two, am I getting the shovel talk?"

“Yes,” Kent declares triumphantly.

“Ok, let’s hear it,” Adam concedes. He tries not to laugh at how little an opinion Jack has on this matter. Which is to say, Jack has no room to talk about hurting people. Then again, neither does Kent. But Kent didn't break Lardo's heart on more than one occasion. 

And maybe he should let bygones be bygones. But Adam is a petty asshole, and everyone seems to forget that he’s Jack’s ex too.

“If you hurt her in anyway there is nothing on this earth that will stop me from metaphorically kicking your ass.” Kent pokes Holster in the chest harshly. “She is too good for mere mortals. Also I am a petty asshole. And I’m like, stupidly wealthy, dude. I could destroy you.”

Holster cracks a smile, and amicably pats Kent’s back. “That was a good shovel talk.”

Kent grins back. “You think?”

“Totally, you didn’t over sell yourself. Which is important, don’t wanna make empty threats in a shovel talk.”

“Thanks,” he blushes.

Jack clears his throat.  Kent looks back, his face considerably sobers.

“So,” Kent claps. “I’m needed in other places for completely fake reasons. You guys have fun getting closure.”

Kent practically sprints, shouting for John Hamm to wait up. Holster chuckles.

He turns his attention back to Jack. “So what’s up?”

“Walk with me?” Jack gestures to the door with his head.

He looks so hesitant; and fuck if Adam won’t take pity on the guy. They were friends once. He nods, following Jack out towards the docks. They don’t stop until they find someplace secluded enough.

“Ok now what’s up?”

Jack heaves a sigh. “We never talked, after everything.”

“Everything as in…” Holster wasn’t about to make this easy.

“I dumped you without warning,” Jack assumes his captain voice. “I didn’t give you a chance to argue, and our friendship never recovered.”

Holster knows he should argue. but instead he shrugs casually. “And?

“You gave me three years. I should’ve given you more than five minutes while you were training.”

“Yea,” Holster frowns, “you really should have.”

Adam finds himself pacing. He hadn’t expected this. Honestly, he’d never thought much past some mild resentment. What was the point of dwelling when he knew they’d never get back together?

“I feel like a jackass for caring,” he confesses. “We fucked, Jack. Yea I loved you, but we had the weakest relationship. I would’ve dumped me first too.”

“Was that important to you? What order I broke up with you?” He clarifies.

“It did back then...It probably mattered to everyone. But that’s not…it doesn’t fucking matter.”

“You’re still upset,” Jack mentions.

“Well excuse me for being treated like shit and never dealing with it. That must be so unrelatable to you,” Holster chirps. 

Jack blushes.

“Fuck, I wish you’d let me do this years ago,” Holster scrubs his face. 

What did he want to say? Was there anything left to say? He tries to remember the fall of junior year. Before Kent came back into their lives and things changed. He remembers wondering how they were gonna keep things going once Jack and Shitty were graduated. He wondered sometimes if they would break up for a while and come back together when life settled down a bit. He knew that was more of a well wish than a plan. He remembers falling asleep, dreaming that he, Ransom, and Lardo would have some cool apartment in a city. They'd do cool things and see cool places. And maybe someday, they'd have a family. Does he wish Jack hadn't broken them up? Yea, but not because he wanted them to stay the same. 

 “Am I pissed that I didn’t get to say fuck you or have break up sex? No, bro.”

“Then why are you upset,” Jack frowns. Well, frowns for Jack.

Holster huffs, slowing down to face him. “I was halfway back to the Haus when Ransom called me. I have seen him cry four times since freshman year. Three of them were at funerals.”

He lets the weight of those words sit.

 “You hurt them, Jack.” Holster chops his right hand with his left, emphasizing each word. “Sure, I wouldn’t have them without you, so thanks. But seriously, fuck you. You were selfish.”

Holster thinks he’s done and then he finds himself ranting. “And maybe we weren’t much better, but you knew how much we listened to you. You meant everything to us, and there were fucking five million ways you could’ve handled that shit better. “

“I know, I’m sorry.”

Holster inhales deeply. He looks out at the horizon. He wonders for a hot second if he would’ve ever taken Jack back. The answer is clear for him, no. Adam would never trust Jack the way he used to, never again.

“I’m not even mad about me,” he bumps shoulders with Jack. Letting him know that things are going to be okay.  But still, “no matter how many times she says, ‘it’s not Jack’s fault,’ I keep thinking, ‘yea, it kinda is.’ Like no offense, but you are the absolute worst at communicating.”

Jack laughs, “that’s an understatement.”

“So are you and Bits cool again or should I be warned now?”

“We’re getting there,” Jack admits bashfully. 

“Getting where?”

Jack shrugs, “I love him. I fucked up.”

“Cool, Captain Obvious,” Adam rolls his eyes. 

“We’re figuring it out,” Jack elaborates.

“Good, that’s good.” And then it occurs to him, “Kent?”

“Is dating Bits."

Holster knows there's more to it. He prods a little bit, “that’s all?”

Jack sighs, “we’re working on it. I don’t think he wants to get back together anytime soon…”

“But?”

“It’s nice that I haven’t fucked up so much that he’ll at least consider it,” he admits quietly. 

“There’s that old Jack Zimmermann smugness." Holster smacks Jack's chest lights. “Making people fall in love with you at the drop of a hat.”

They head back inside. Holster remembers something he’d wanted to say, “hey Jack?”

“Yea?”

“I’m still gonna fight you this season,” Holster warns him. 

Jack hums, smiling with satisfaction. “Good."

_/.\\_

Holster strikes up a simple conversation with Jack as they head to find everyone else. He tends to forget how grateful he is that Jack forced him to reexamine his life. Maybe in another time, he would’ve been here just to root for Jack. It’s better this way.

Well just as they’re about to go to the stands, Holster spots Lardo and Kent grabbing beer while Ransom and Bitty exit the restroom. Bitty’s face pales when he notices Jack. Lardo does the same. The six of them meet in the middle of the hallway. Ransom and Kent both look like they’d rather be somewhere else. Holster can’t help but laugh. Bitty glares at him.

“This is awkward,” he continues to chuckle.

Bitty’s scowl hardens as he turns to Jack. “Were you ever gonna tell me?”

Jack looks as confused as Adam feels.

“Tell you what?” Kent interrupts.

“Did you know who Jack dated in college?”

Kent gapes at him for a second, unsure how to answer. Instead, he turns to Jack. “He didn’t know? What the fuck, Jack.”

“You knew,” Bitty curses under his breath. “Of course I was the last to know.”

Holster would rather be anywhere but here. He tries to communicate as much to Justin and Larissa. Thankfully, it’s Lardo to the rescue.

“C’mon, Bittle,” she takes his hand and drags him away. “We’re getting wrecked tonight.”

“I should go with them,” Kent gestures. He jogs to catch up with them.

“This is the third strangest weekend of my life,” Adam murmurs.

Justin gawks at him, “and what was the first?”

“Ok fine,” Holster relents, “this is the fucking weirdest day ever. Happy?”

Ransom snorts, “yea.”

“Should we go with them?”

“Nah,” Justin shakes his head. “If she needs us, she’ll call.”

“Wanna meet Lady Gaga then?” Adam offers. 

Justin shakes his head, smiling. “Do you even have to ask?”

Ransom, remembering Jack’s twiddling his thumbs next to them seems to take it in stride. He pats his shoulder amicably. “Shits is with Nursey. C’mon we can go see them first.”

Jack’s lip quirks. Adam thinks they’re gonna be ok.

_/.\\_

**Baes**

Farms:  I’m taking Bitty, Lardo, and Kent to some bar.

Dex: What

Nursey: tf? You sure?

Farms: idk, it’s been a rough night. They need a dd

Chowder: do you need us to come too?

Farms: I’ll let you know. But I think I can handle Bitty and Lardo

Dex: And Kent?

Farms: Is being helpful

Farms: it’s weird, I know

Nursey: you do you, bb

Farms **:** <3

_/.\\_

Lardo doesn’t remember the exact moments that lead to having a shouting match with Shitty. She remembers Caitlin driving her, Bitty, and Kent to a bar. She remembers most of the shots they took and the cool down beer she bought so she would no longer take said shots. She remembers Bitty going on and on about trust and clear communication. Oh, but she really remembers when she told him—

“Would you shut up for five fucking seconds?”

Bitty gapes. “What?”

“Y’know not everything’s about you right?” Larissa rubs her temple. 

“Of course, I do,” he stammers indignantly. “Why the fuck would I be here drinking with your ass if I didn’t think you understood?”

“Understood?" Lardo finds her self cackling. "Bitch please, you are lecturing the fucking professor of how to get your heart ripped to shreds by Jack Zimmermann.”

Bitty stares at her for the longest time. Or maybe, it’s wasn’t that long. They were both very drunk at this point, however. That much should be known.

“You were in love with him,” it isn't a question. 

“Duh,” Lardo rolls her eyes, ignoring the blush creeping up her face.

“You’re as stupid as I am,” Bitty fumes.

“Fat chance."

“What did you think was gonna happen when you told him to go back to Shitty?”

“Fuck off, Buttle." Lardo resists the urge to shove him to the ground. 

“No, fuck you. You saw a window of opportunity and decided you were gonna patch things up like they were before. You wanted him to go back to _you._ ”

“And what if I did?” Lardo screams back. “What if I wanted to fix everything he broke? Is it so fucking bad to want to be happy?”

“Happiness doesn’t come from fucking your exes back into your arms,” Eric shouts back. 

“You would know huh?”

“Guys,” Kent interrupts, “maybe you need some more water.”

Lardo stares incredulously at him. “You are my best friend. So I will only verbally kick your boyfriend’s ass.”

“Uh, thanks?” Kent squints his eyes.

“Please," Eric steals back her attention, "you couldn’t kick my ass if you tried."

Larissa laughs bitterly, “I can lift you easily.”

“I don’t know why I ever thought we were friends," he sneers. “But friends don’t fuck each other’s boyfriends behind their backs.”

“Ok first of all," Lardo slams her first down next to his glass of beer. "He was my boyfriend _first_. Second of all, no, they shouldn’t. But he took that decision away from both of us didn’t he?”

Bitty opens his mouth to retort when they hear Shitty coming up behind them.

“There you fuckers are,” Shitty exclaims. 

“Joy,” Lardo rolls her eyes.

Shits ignores her. “You’re missing the game you know that?” 

“Dex is filming it,” Caitlin (who Lardo honestly forgot was sitting there) placates.

“Shitty,” Eric interrupts. “If you wanted to get back at your exes you’d go sleep with your other exes, wouldn’t you?”

“Don’t you fucking answer that,” Lardo growls.

“Maybe if I really wanted to hurt them,” Shitty admits. “But I also wouldn’t dump my boyfriend, and move to another state just for revenge fucking.”

Larissa gawks at him for a minute. She can't believe what she's hearing. “Is that honestly what you thought I did?”

“What else was I supposed to think Larissa?” Shitty demands. “You moved out without telling me. And a fucking month later, you're sleeping with Ransom and Holster.”

“You were supposed to think exactly what I told you." She groans, burying her face in her hands. “I was done pretending that our relationship worked. Leave them out of it.”

“Did you even love me?” Shitty pushes.  

“Of course, I loved you, you fucking prick,” she stares at him in disbelief. “Why else would I give your three years of my life?”

“Then why did you leave!” He explodes.

“Because you didn’t need me!" Her volume matches his. She slumps back in her seat, "and Jack didn’t want me.”  

“Maybe I didn’t need you, but I wanted you,” he argues with resignation.

“Yea,” Lardo shrugs, “you had a great way of showing it.”

“Lards—"

“No, I’m so fucking sick of pretending like everything’s fine,” Lardo shouts. “You should’ve fought for him. If there was anyone he would’ve taken back, it was you.”

“And then what?" Shitty throws his arms around violently. "I get him and you would just what? Be alone?”

“Maybe? Who the fuck knows."

“I don’t get what you’re saying,” he runs a hand through his hair. Lardo just noticed he's growing it out again. 

“I’m saying you didn’t want me,” she over pronounces her words. “You’re the one who didn’t want to be alone.”

“Brah,” he reaches for her arm. 

“Fuck off,” Lardo throws the rest of her beer on his face. She’s out the door before any of them can stop her.

And yea, she was very much drunk. But it helped. It made her feel like she didn’t have to pretend for five seconds. She put up with four years of pretending nothing had happened. Finally, she got to give them a piece of her mind. It was nice. But she was also drunk heading back in the general direction of the area. She sighs, dialing Adam’s number.

“Can you pick me up?”

_/.\\_ 

“You know I never do this,” she murmurs into the window.

“I know,” Adam sighs.

She feels his hand squeeze hers. She loves how much taller they are than her. It helps remind her that she can hold her own. But it also means that when she just wants to be held, it’s ok.

“Is Justin mad?”

“No, why?”

“I promised I’d behave,” she laments. “Fuck, I ruined everything.”

“Ok first, Bitty sounds like he was being a drunk asshole. Second, Shits was sober. He should’ve known better.” He kisses her cheek at a stoplight. “Third, you couldn’t ruin anything.”

“If you say so,” she mutters in defeat. 

“You did the right thing calling,” he reminds her. 

“Good,” she nods, still staring out the window. 

“Wanna go back the hotel?”

She smiles. Of course, she wanted to fix everything. That was her job, it had been since the day she was hired as manager.  But there were obviously things that could never be fixed. She’d learned that after a few months of Jack dating Shitty. They weren’t compatible anymore. And that was ok, she thought. They had both there for Shitty, and that was enough. She wasn’t sure if her friendship with Shitty was salvageable. She hopes for Kent’s sake that Eric will be more reasonable in the morning.

_/.\\_

Justin is relieved when Adam comes back with Larissa. She crumbles into him, murmuring apologies. The curls she’d made earlier have fallen flat. Her eyeliner is smudged from the crying she’s done all day. Her jersey smells like booze. She rambles quietly about everything that happened.

“I’m really done with them right now," Larissa concludes.

“Ok, you’ve don’t have to deal with them the rest of the weekend,” Justin assures her. 

“No…I don’t want to make things weird for Kent,” she argues. “I’ll be fine.”

They turn the TV on and get in bed mostly naked. Ransom thinks they drifted off for a few hours. Next thing he knows there’s a banging on their door. He looks at the clock, it’s reads 11:38. He grabs a t-shirt and goes to answer the door.

Truth be told, Ransom is slowly learning to stop meticulously planning for things he can’t control. He was not, however, expecting to find Eric Bittle standing in front of their hotel room door with a strawberries and cream pie in hand, and an embarrassed smile on his face. Justin considers closing the door. He has every right to, and it’s not as if it would be particularly malicious of him to decide against interacting with him. But he doesn’t. Justin simply nods, allowing Eric to say what he’s come here for.

“I, uh,” he sighs. “I’ve been a jerk. And I guess the only way I know how to start apologizing is with pie.”

“Do you understand what you need to apologize for?” Ransom counters. Because if Bitty doesn’t get it, there’s no point in continuing the conversation.

“I haven’t been fair to Larissa,” he responds cautiously. “I kept looking for someone to blame for all of this, and she wasn’t around. So that made her an easy scapegoat.”

Justin nods, “I really don’t—”

“Let him in,” he hears Lardo call.

He moves to the side, allowing Bitty entrance. Lardo’s flinging a shirt at Holster, before grabbing a sports bra from their luggage.

“I’m assuming you brought forks,” she calls over her shoulder.

“What do you take me for, Larissa, a heathen?” He chirps.

“I take you for a dick, but I’ve fooled by your pleasantries before,” she fires back. 

“Well that’s fair.” He puts the pie down on the desk, pulling forks out of his back pocket. 

Eric wrings his hands like he doesn’t know what to do with himself. Larissa rolls her eyes, approaching him.

“Ok, where’re your note cards,” she chirps.

“Just my phone this time,” he waves it in front of her. “Sorry.”

She gestures him to hand it over. She plops down at the desk chair, taking a fork from Bitty as she shovels a bite into her mouth. She reads the phone slowly. Ransom eyes Holster wearily. At least this time when someone showed up at their door, they could express their confusion more easily. Ransom does have hope for this situation. Lardo doesn’t let things slide. If she’s willing to hear Bitty out, that means there’s something worth saving.

“You got that right,” she mutters at one point.

She stops again a bit later; eyes wet and defiantly staring at Bitty. “Yea, you should have been there."

“I know,” Bitty bites his lip. “You should’ve been able to talk to me about anything. And I’m sorry I snapped—”

“Shut up for ten seconds and hug me like you missed me,” her voice cracks.

She doesn’t have to say it twice. He cradles her head and shoulders while she sobs into his torso. Part of Ransom wants to break this up. Bring her to bed, and not deal with people for the rest of eternity. But he knows this is good for them. Judging from the way he’s getting pulled into the hall, Adam seems to think so too.

_/.\\_

“Hey, looks like there’s a party going on in the hallway,” Kent chirps when sees Ransom and Holster sitting in front of their room. He has Jack and Shitty in tow.

“Bits came to apologize,” Ransom explains.

“Cool, cool," Kent nods awkwardly. “I guess we’ll make a line.”

Holster eyes Shitty wearily, “ok I said I’d fight you later, Jack. But I’m gonna need a fucking bribe not to clock Shits.”

“I guess that’s fair,” Shitty grumbles, reaching for his wallet.

“I meant food,” Adam objects. “Geez, Shitty. I make more than you do.”

Shitty’s mustache twitches in confusion. “Right, professional hockey player.”

“Did you forget what he does for a living?” Justin's mouth hangs open. 

“I should say I’m offended,” Holster sniffs mockingly.

“Wait, what are you apologizing for?” Ransoms points to Kent.

“I’m sure I’ll think of something.” He thrusts Jack and Shitty in front of him. “But while I wait, I’ll let these two bozos apologize first.”

“I’m sorry I was a dick about the break up, and dating Lardo,” Shitty concedes. “...And when Lardo broke up with me. I should’ve handled everything like a goddamn adult.”

“And you know you still have to apologize to her?” Ransom reminds him.

“Yea of course, bro.”

Jack clears his throat, “I already apologized to Adam. But you deserve one too, Justin.”

Justin scoots over, patting the carpet for Jack to come join them. Jack complies. Once he’s sitting, he leans the back of his head against the wall.

“I hurt you,” he stares at his hands.

“You did,” Ransom states neutrally. 

“You tried so hard, and I did love you,” he admits. “I’m sorry I never told you that.”

Ransom grunts. His hand searches for Holsters.

“I should’ve talked to you.” Jack looks briefly between him, Holster, and Shitty. “All of you.”

“I just want to know what you were hoping to get out of dumping us,” Justin blurts out. 

“I wanted to start over,” he admits. “Kenny ripped me a new one.”

“Yep,” Kent agrees quietly.

“I was second guessing everything from those years. There wasn’t much for me to fix or for him to expose about me…except…”

“You thought he was gonna out us,” Justin realizes. 

“For the record, I was never gonna do that.” Kent sighs, sliding down the wall across from them. “But yea I fucked up. I’m sorry I ruined your relationship with my insecurities. I wanted Zimms back. It never occurred to me that we could’ve figured out our shit without messing with yours.”

“True,” Ransom concedes. “But we were together for years. Jack should’ve trusted us instead of deciding what was best for everyone.”

“Yea,” Shitty nods, taking a seat next to Kent. “But maybe I shouldn’t’ve shut you two out like we couldn’t be together anymore. It would’ve hurt Lardo less.”

“Maybe,” Ransom and Holster say in synchronous. 

“Maybe she would still love me if I had,” Shitty speculates. 

“Do you still love her?” Ransom has to know. 

Shitty shakes his head, staring at his shoes. “She was right. We weren’t in love anymore. We spent so much fucking time forcing ourselves to be happy.”

Justin looks up as the door creaks open. Larissa is standing there with Bitty awkwardly waiting behind her.

 “Yea it really sucked,” she sighs.  “I kept thinking something was wrong with me. Every time I realized I wasn’t happy with you anymore, I’d find another excuse for me to fix.”

“We should’ve talked,” Shitty admonishes himself. 

“We should’ve done a lot of things,” Lardo retorts. 

“Y’all should really talk," Bitty suggests. “We all should.”

“No kidding,” Jack and Kent chorus.

Lardo laughs, and it feels like all that hurt she brought with her three months ago is melting away. Not entirely, but it’s getting there.

“I have questions,” Bitty confesses. “I can’t promise that I’ll get everything right away. But if it worked for all y’all before, I wanna try this polyamory thing—for real this time.”

Ransom frowns, “well it didn’t work perfectly before. There was some shit we could’ve done better had we known we weren’t the only ones out there.”

Lardo ushers Bitty out of the room, leaving the door ajar. She plops down next to Holster as Bitty sits in front of the door alongside Jack. She nudges Holster. “This would be a good time for that thing you guys used to do.”

Ransom and Holster look at each other quizzically for a moment. Justin’s memory seems to catch up quicker.

“Oh, you mean—

 

**Poly Shit with Ransom & Holster (and Lardo) **

_Jealousy, n._

_Feeling or showing suspicion of someone’s unfaithfulness in a relationship._

“Ok did anyone else hear that theme song?” Kent stares at the ceiling. 

“You get used to it,” Jack chuckles.

“As with any relationship, boundary setting is really fucking important.” Holster begins. 

Ransom jumps in. “You have to know what your partner is comfortable with, what they’re uncomfortable with, and why.”

“And just because you know how your partner may react to something, that doesn’t mean you should go ahead and do it without consulting them.”

“For example, Holtzy goes on roadies a lot and sometimes he can’t make it back to Baltimore after games.”

“Puck bunnies can be very generous. Rans, Lards and I have talked extensively about scenarios when I might feel inclined to hook up with someone. Does that mean just because someone flirts with me at a club in LA I should totally go for it? No.”

“He calls us.” Ransom amends. “And we make sure everyone’s on the same page. Polyamory isn’t a hall pass for sex.”

“And just because you might not care in the beginning if your partner sleeps with other people, doesn’t mean that you can’t change your mind. Or that just because you were cool with a particular metamour, that you have to be comfortable with everyone that comes into your partners’ lives. Which is why regularly checking in is great,” Lardo explains. “It’s like a platform for always being able to express your feelings.”

“Exactly,” Ransom agrees. “Having multiple partners can be hard to juggle if you don’t invest time into those relationships.”

“Well don’t forget some relationships are secondary, tertiary, or even queerplatonic.” Lardo counts on her hand. “You can have multiple of any can of partner. So there’s no wrong way to ‘be together’ as long as you communicate.”

“Ok question,” Bitty interrupts. “So say—hypothetically speaking—Jack and I wanna get back together. But we wanna keep living with our current significant others. And we don’t want to put each other before them. Is that reasonable?”

“Bro, that sounds like a secondary relationship,” Holster interprets.

“Which is totally valid. If you talk with each other, and Shits and Kent, and you’re all are on the same page, go for it,” Ransom reiterates. 

“Yea hi,” Kent chimes in. “Is there a name for ‘we love each other and sometimes we wanna fuck and go on dates but most of the time we don’t have time to even call which is fine because we have other people’?”

“Probably a tertiary relationship,” Lardo thinks out loud.

Kent clicks his tongue, “good to know.”

“Don’t forget that everyone’s relationships are supposed to be separate and different,” Lardo looks at Kent sternly. 

 “You run into trouble when you expect everything to be equal all the time.” Ransom adds. “Because it won’t be. You’ve gotta keep checking in as your relationships evolve. It’s the same for monogamy.”

“Huh,” Bitty purses his lips. “I hadn’t thought of it that way.”

“Are you guys seriously teaching them about polyamory in the middle of the hallway?” Nursey’s voice distracts them all.

He’s smirking as a not-too-chipper Chris comes up behind him. “It’s midnight, what the fuck are you guys doing out here?”

“Putting to rest eight years of unnecessary miscommunication,” Holster declares triumphantly.

“Awesome,” Chowder deadpans. “Listen, you can tell us all about it in the morning. Go into your room, onto another floor, in a trash shoot—I don’t care. Just Shhh.”  

Derek chuckles, “sorry, if Farmer can’t sleep neither can we. And we really want sleep.” He closes the door gently.

“Ok our room then?” Lardo offers.

_/.\\_

They may or may not grab a bottle of vodka Shitty bought earlier back to the room. They might get a bit drunk as they chirp each other for stupid shit they used to do. Bitty challenges Lardo to one of their classic balancing contests. Lardo wipes the floor with him. Ransom, Holster, and Lardo end up demonstrating what a grind train is for Jack. At one point, Kent laughs so hard that he ends up on the floor in a fetal position. For the first time in years, Ransom feels like he has his friends back.

It isn’t perfect. And Ransom knows they’ll never be the way they were back in college. Ransom thinks that’s ok. They’re better people now. They’ll keep growing and figuring their shit out, one day at a time. For better or worse they’ve got each other’s backs.

**Author's Note:**

> fic title - lyrics from Drive by Oh Wonder 
> 
> Part two will be up in maybe a few days maybe a week? There's was just so much here about friends that I wanted to make a separate chapter for the family.
> 
> In case you were wondering[what Bitty wrote out to tell Lardo.](http://abominableobriens.tumblr.com/post/159158335557/a-speech-that-bitty-wrote-out-to-apologize-to)
> 
> Side note: if you go to [my Grand Larsony tag on Tumblr](http://abominableobriens.tumblr.com/tagged/grand%20larsony) there's a lot of extra content that isn't getting posted here yet. And feel free to say hi if you're on there. I love talking about these three.


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